Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-02-17


the world with no burden on his broad
shoulders or his conscience. True,
there was a deep wound in his heart.
He had loved Marion so well that to
give her up was to voluntarily re-
nounce Gods sunlight. But all her life
had been spent amid luxury. 1t was to
her a necessity. Deprived of it she
would droop and fade; and better any
lot than to see her struggle and know
that he had brought it upon her. Be-
| sides, she had made her choice. To
her wedding meant flowers, music.
friends, the toilet of a bride. The future.
the communion of two hearts, the
solemn responsibilities incurred were
but secondary considerations.
Goodbye, my darling" he said, as
they parted; but when she added
"until Tomorrow he added neither
yea nor nay.
Tomorrow the world knew that
Chester Thornley's ship had gone upon
the rocks. Many of his business asso-
ciates would have held out to him a
helping hand, but firmly and kindly he
refused every offer. He wrote Marion
a few lines, recalling to her mind the
conversation of the day before, and re-
leased her from her vows to him.
IF any good fortune comes to ME, y"
he concluded. ''you shall hear of it. If
l am silent it is because my life is
wrapped in silence and shadow. Bless
you, darling, for the light you have cast
upon it. 1t will be like looking back
to Heaven. Idarc not see You again
l tested my strength to its full extent
yesterday. God grant that some better
man may win you; to love you better
is not within his power. Nor must
you think that l blame you that you
shrank from sharing the new life upon
which l enter. Flowers can not live
without sunlight. 1 only wanted to
be sure that l made no mistake in in
terpreting the best course for your hap
piness."
And then, with a few more warm,
passionate, loving words of farewell,
the letter closed. Two years passed,
and the little world that had known
Chester Thornley, so well knew him no
more. He had entirely disappeared.
1t was as though the sea had opened
and swallowed him up. Marion Will
loughby was Marion Willoughby still.
If she suffered she made no sign, those
who had seen the one sparkling stone
which had been the pledge of her en-
gagement to Chester Thornley, noticed
that she wore it still, and others, yet
more narrow watchers, observed that
always when she entered a crowded
room she would take a hasty glance
around, as though expecting to find
some one not there. She was yet but
%, belle and beauty still. The
third winter of his absence she left
home to spend several weeks with an
aunt.
II can not spare you," her father
had said, when the imitation came.
But she, going close to him and lay
ing her head for moment on his
breast, said:
Il think. papa, it would be best"
They were simple words, but he in
terpreted them Alright. The old wound
would not cease its bleeding. She
wanted to 90 amid new scenes, so he
only kissed her and babe her to remem-
Der that the old father awaited her re-
| turn.
"You have not been through the
steel works." some one said to her one
day. ''It is really a most interesting
sight. Will you join party if we
make up one to visit them, Miss Will
loughby?"
with pleasure" she answered,
lightly.
And her aunt, charmed with the sue
cess of her beautiful niece, smiled at
Clay Clayton's numerous devices to in
snare Marion's society. He was the
great part of the place. She had heard
something of some early disappoint-
ment in Marion's life. 1t would be a
splendid triumph thus to obliterate it.
The morning appointed for the expe-
dition dawned beautiful and bright.
They seemed, indeed, like drones in
truding upon some busy hive of work
ers as they entered the great building
and looked about them. Department
after department they visited, watch
ing with interest the delicate machin-
cry and its wonderful working.
MariOn's cheeks flushed with interest,
and Clay Clayton, noting, thought he
had never seen her look so beautiful.
To-day he determined he must speak,
when suddenly he heard cry, and
glancing up saw her standing quite
apart from the group. her eyes ablaze.
her lips quivering. At little distance
from her. adjusting some piece of ma
| chinery, was man in working
blouse. Her cry also attracted him and
he looked up. Their eyes met. His
face grew deathly pale, but gave no
other sign of recognition. She went